"A positive experience "

It took a few weeks to be assessed by a wonderful lady who left me fairly optimistic. It was a long conversation and I felt she genuinely cared.

Then there was a wait of a few months.

The CBT was six half-hour phone calls from one of the kindest people I’ve spoken to in decades and she allowed to get some things that have been bugging me for years off my chest. Also, with the help of my doctor, she got me off anti-depressants.

Sadly, my depression score didn’t improve - which made me feel I’d let her down. I have taken to heart the idea of putting on a facade and acting happy with the hope that it’ll break the cycle, although this seems to just make things build up.

I was then passed to a smart woman for DIT. After one session she said my problems were too long standing and complex for her (that might be code for something). She passed me on to someone else.

Finally, I was assessed by a woman who believed in supernatural entities and demonic possession. While she was sympathetic I decided at this point IAPT wasn’t for me. I received a letter explaining that I’d been discharged from their services.

I suppose my feeling is I know I’m messed up and I won’t get better, but at least I tried - and on the plus side I talked with some caring people.

Sadly I have a mental block when it comes to praying mental illness away. Maybe if you’re more of a spiritual person this service might be for you.